GratitudeGratitude increases closeness. Look for opportunities to show gratitude as you work to draw closer to your kids. Give your children opportunities to show gratitude also. Be careful, though, that you don’t confuse opportunities for gratitude with overindulgence.
Overindulgence is giving your children more than their character can handle. When children lack gratitude, the more you give them, the less they appreciate.
Overindulged children rarely become grateful when you give them more things. They grow to be more spoiled, demanding, and selfish. Parents then feel unappreciated and become resentful. The hearts of both parents and children harden toward each other, and closeness becomes a thing of the past.
If your children are overindulged rather than grateful, pull back on the area where you’re giving too much and look for ways to increase the areas where you’re lacking. Teaching gratefulness can be a challenge. Having a child say thank you is just behavior. Gratitude comes from the heart.
Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God.
Colossians 3:16
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